BOSTON — Before Tuesday’s game against the Athletics, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that his rookie pitchers, including starter Connelly Early, were unrestricted in their workloads and able to throw 90-95 pitches. It was curious, then, hours later, when Cora pulled a dominant Early at just 80 pitches in favor of Greg Weissert in a one-run game.
By the time All-Star Brent Rooker was due up with one out and a runner on first base with the Sox leading, 1-0, in the sixth, Early had struck out seven and allowed just five hits in 5 ⅓ shutout innings. To the outside observer who watched Early throw 90 pitches in a dominant debut a week ago in West Sacramento, he seemed to have something left in the tank. In Cora’s mind, though, it was time to go to Weissert for the right-on-right matchup against Rooker, who entered the game with a .305 average and a .926 OPS against lefties this season.
“It’s about the guy that is hitting,” said Cora, noting that pulling Early was about the matchup and not his pitch count. “The game will dictate that we do. That’s a good big leaguer that hits lefties really well. The other guys have to do their job.”
Weissert struck out Rooker for the second out of the inning before costing the Red Sox with missed locations that led to big hits. He gave up two hits, a walk and two runs that led to a 2-1 Athletics win in the first of three games at Fenway.
“We lose that game because I can’t do my job,” Weissert said. “It’s so important to get it to those guys (Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman). We’re fighting all game. Early pitches an unbelievable game and I go in there and do that (expletive). It sucks.”
Pinch-hitter Tyler Soderstrom tied the game by swinging at a 3-2 pitch with two outs and hitting the Green Monster with an RBI double that plated Jacob Wilson. Weissert then walked Carlos Cortes before Brett Harris had the game-winning single to plate Soderstrom.
“3-2 pitch right down the middle,” said Cora. “He was trying to go up in the zone, didn’t get it there.
“That was his pocket right there. The kid did an amazing job. They had some tough righties coming up and we just have to close the deal.”
The first run was charged to Early, who has allowed that lone blemish in 10 ⅓ innings over two starts against the A’s. The 23-year-old has struck out 18 batters and walked just one in those two starts.
“Really good. Moved the ball around, threw strikes. He’s under control in every situation. Good job with the baserunners. We talked about facing the same lineup back-to-back. That’s a good lineup and he was able to keep them off balance, get some strikeouts and get some big outs for us.
Early also said pitch count wasn’t a factor, citing the fact Rooker was a tough at-bat a week ago out west. In that game, in which Early struck out 11, Rooker had a 105.1 mph groundout and two strikeouts against the rookie.
“I was pulled right before Rooker came up,” said Early. “Weissert’s a really good matchup against him so that’s why we went with that. I struggled a little bit against him the first time and he saw me pretty well. I think that’s why we went with it.”
No matter the matchups any given night, the workloads of Boston’s young pitchers will continue to be a factor to consider down the stretch. Early has now totaled 105 ½ innings over three levels this year, already eclipsing his career-high of 103 ⅔ frames from a season ago. Payton Tolle is in the same boat, having already thrown 91 ⅔ innings across four levels in his first professional season after finishing in the eighties over his final two collegiate seasons at Wichita State (2023) and TCU (2024).
“They’re a part of what we’re doing here,” said pitching coach Andrew Bailey. “We’ve got to find innings and starts, whatever that is, with Tolle, Harry (Kyle Harrison), Early and all the guys down there, especially the young bucks
“We’ll see where they’ll fit in the mix and where they can take down innings for us and be mindful of everybody’s workload while also knowing we’ve got to win every day.”
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